They were nearly at the front doors.
Austwick hesitated.
The sun was dazzling through a break in the trees. There was no sign of life inside, no sound, but then the weight of the doors would have muffled anything.
Someone must have been watching. The door opened and a heavy-set man stood barring the way, a shotgun hanging on his arm.
Austwick stepped forward, his head high. His voice cracked at first, then gained strength.
‘Good morning, Portman. My name is Charles Austwick. I represent Gerald Croxdale, and the socialist people of Britain.’
‘About damn time you turned up!’ Portman said sharply. ‘Have you got the documents?’
‘We’re taking them to the Queen,’ Pitt said quickly. ‘Get everybody in. It’s nearly over.’ He tried to put some excitement in his voice.
Portman smiled. ‘Right. Yes!’ He raised his arm with the gun in it, giving a salute of victory.
Stoker stepped forward and hit him as hard as he could, with all the force of his weight. He caught him in the vulnerable point of the solar plexus, driving him backwards and inside. Portman doubled up in agony, and the gun flew from his hand. Stoker spun round and picked it up.
Austwick stood as if paralysed.
Pitt started up the stairs as another man came out of the servants’ quarters with a gun at the ready.
Narraway emerged onto the landing and struck the man at the top of the stairs, sending him pitching forward and down, his gun flying out of his grasp. He landed at the bottom, his neck broken.
The man in the hall raised his gun and aimed at Pitt.
Austwick stepped in front of him. There was the roar of an explosion and Austwick collapsed slowly, crumpling to the ground in a sea of blood.
Stoker shot the man with the gun.
Narraway came down the stairs and picked up the gun from the man at the bottom.
‘There are five more,’ he said calmly. ‘Let’s see if we can get them without any further bloodshed.’
Pitt looked at him. Narraway sounded totally in control, but his face was haggard, hollow-eyed. There was a rough edge to his voice as if he held it level with an effort that cost him all he had.
Pitt glanced at Stoker, who was now armed with the gun that had killed Austwick.
‘Yes, sir,’ Stoker said obediently, and set off towards the servants’ quarters.
Narraway looked at Pitt. He smiled very slightly, but there was a warmth in his eyes Pitt had never seen before, even in the best of their past triumphs. ‘Would you like to go up and tell Her Majesty that order is restored?’ he said. ‘There will be no papers to sign.’
‘Are you. . all right?’ Pitt asked. Suddenly he found he cared very much.
‘Yes, thank you,’ Narraway replied. ‘But this business is not quite finished yet. Is that Charles Austwick on the floor?’
‘Yes,’ Pitt answered. ‘I think it might be better all round if we say he died giving his life for his country.’
‘He was the head of this goddamned conspiracy,’ Narraway said between his teeth.
‘Actually he wasn’t,’ Pitt told him. ‘Croxdale was.’
Narraway looked startled. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Absolutely. He more or less admitted it.’
‘Where is he?’
‘Dead. We’ll say he took his own life.’ Pitt found he was shivering. He tried to control it, and couldn’t.
‘But he didn’t?’
‘I shot him. He had Stoker by the neck. He was going to break it.’ Pitt passed him on the stairs.
‘I see,’ Narraway said slowly. He smiled with great sweetness. ‘Croxdale underestimated you, didn’t he?’
Pitt found himself blushing. Embarrassed, he turned and went on up the stairs. At the top he crossed the landing and knocked on the door.
‘Come!’ a quiet voice commanded.
He turned the handle and went inside. Victoria was standing in the middle of the room, Charlotte to one side of her, Vespasia to the other. As Pitt looked at them, the emotion welled up inside him until he felt the tears of relief prickle in his eyes. His throat was so tight the words were difficult to say.
‘Your Majesty.’ He cleared his throat. ‘I am pleased to inform you that Osborne House is now back in the hands of those to whom it belongs. There will be no further trouble, but I would advise you to remain here until a little clearing-up has been done.’
Vespasia’s face was radiant with relief, all the past weariness slipping from her.
Charlotte smiled at him, too happy, too proud even to speak.
‘Thank you, Mr Pitt,’ Victoria said a trifle hoarsely. ‘We are most obliged to you. We shall not forget.’
